(No Title: A little help?)
by BlackCat46
Summary: Sequel to My Mummy. This time, Mara's having a bit of a struggle. I suggest reading the first one before this, it'll give you an idea of what's happening here. Mara's in her twenties now and she's very stressed out. (R&R, AU, OOC, OCs.) Rated T. A lot of Mara/Patricia friendship.
1. Chapter 1

*I OWN ONLY PLOT*

Mara popped over to her late best friend's old home. His beloved mother was running herself ragged with her youngest children. "Hey!" Mara smiled.

Trudy Choudhary turned happily. "Oh! Mara!"

"Hey! Come here, you!" Mara grinned and hugged the woman.

"Hi, baby girl!" Trudy smiled. "Hey, do me a favour. Get hold of Vinnie and Vicky."

The twins, Vinnie and Victoria, age three, were running crazily. Mara scooped them up. Her eldest, Michael, was holding his brother, who was five. "Tom! Quit it, boy! You're doing my head in!"

The baby screamed. At only three weeks, Azurabelle was a loud, hyperactive child. Mara never really saw Jamie, the eldest girl. Vinnie smiled, his grin cheeky and Mara had to smile back. He babbled "Miss Mara, we made Mummy swear!"

Victoria yelled "VINNIE! We do not say that! You made Mummy say that bad word!"

Mara looked at the stressed woman, who was feeding the baby. "It was all of you being hyper!" She yelled.

In the midst of the mess, Mara sat with Trudy. "Hey, guess what?" She smiled.

"Tell me what, darling." Trudy smiled at the girl.

"My cousin, Teri, she's engaged!" Mara announced, grinning.

"Aw! Tell her I said congratulations!"

"I will." Mara grinned. "Any news here?"

"You can see it. Jasper's been promoted, the clever love. He was totally thrilled to bits."

"Aw, that's awesome! He's earned it."

"That's what our Jamie said. Jasper was so thrilled."

At that very moment, the said man walked right in. "Trudy, where's my beautiful fuzzball?!"

She called "In here with Mara, sweetie!"

Jasper walked in and seized them in bear hugs. "My lovely ladies. Oh, my God, Mara! You've gotten taller!"

"You've gotten observant!" Mara faked shock, joking about. "Watch out, next you'll notice Trudy's expensive shoes!"

Her jaw dropped. "How on earth did you find out about the shoes, Mara?!" Trudy screamed. "More to the point, why would you tell him?!"

Jasper saw Trudy's shoes and realised that Mara was right. "Trudy!" He gasped.

She whimpered nervously. Mara looked at him. "Don't hurt her!" She warned, hugging her, just to be pushed away.

Trudy softly whispered "It's OK. I've got a job. I was going to put the money back. It was just because I had more blisters than skin. Like blisters on blisters."

Jasper sat next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders and gently hugging her. "Hey, listen. I'm not angry, Trudy, love. I'm pleased that you've learned to spend happily, instead of bothering over finances before your own comfort. You don't have any idea how painful it was to see you limping."

"You noticed?" She asked.

"How could I not? Your poor face, all scrunched up. Your little feet, all red and sore. The bowls of ice you hid when I walked in. The pain you were in was obvious. You were in tears some mornings when those other shoes hurt you."

"Oh. You're very observant, dearie."

At Mara's own home, the house was in turmoil. Her dog was running rampant. She'd named it Jeremy, after the baby doll she used to play house with when she and Jerome used to play. She had decided, on the day of Jerome's funeral, never to date, never to get married, never to kiss another being like she'd wanted to kiss Jerome, never to have children. She'd been advised by both Jasper and Trudy to get a dog. They sometimes appeared to care more for Mara than anything else, barring their children. But she was Trudy's last link to Jerome since Jasper redecorated his room for Jamie, redecorated their entire home and especially since Vinnie had broken Jerome's favourite bowl and mug while Victoria bent his cutlery. Mara walked in and saw the destruction. "Jeremy!" She yelled. The rottweiler sat and stared at her. Feathers from torn pillows were everywhere. Her fire place was shattered. The meat she was going to use for her supper was everywhere, covered in dog saliva. Mara tied her dog up outside. "Stay!"

She called her girly best friend, Patricia. She wasn't her friend until high school. But she was a loyal friend and she would go to any lengths to take care of her. Patricia had a two year old son and a week old baby girl with her boyfriend since high school, Eddie Miller-Sweet. "What is it now, Eddie?"

"It's Mara." Mara whispered.

"Oh, thank God! Hey, Mars. What's up?" Patricia asked.

"I think I have a problem."

"What?" Patricia asked in concern.

"Jeremy. He's torn up my whole living room, eaten my steaks and he's left whatever didn't give him any nutrition behind my sofa."

"Ew. Your dog is worse than Eddie!"

"You helped me choose him!" Mara yelled.

"Chill out!" Patricia hissed. "I just got the baby to sleep."

"Sorry." Mara whispered. "I just needed help, but... obviously... you're too busy."

She hung up and sobbed. She didn't want to be in her own home any more. Instead of caring, Mara decided on what she had to do.


	2. Chapter 2

*I OWN ONLY PLOT*

"Hi. I'd like to give you this dog." Mara smiled at the kennel owner.

"Sure. Just fill out these forms." He smiled at her. She felt so bad as she filled it out.

She handed back the signed forms and handed over her dog. "There you go. All yours." She smiled kindly.

At her home, she tidied it up and called a real estate agent. She got him to see her home. He asked "Are you going to leave the furniture or are you taking that?"

"Leaving it. You can sell that off too."

Mara walked out. She didn't really like living there. She was found by a wandering Patricia. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Thinking. I've sold the house. I think I'm going to live on the streets from now on."

"No, you are not. And if you do, I'm calling that woman you keep visiting. Judy?"

"Trudy, you dumb redhead." Mara corrected snappishly.

"OK, OK. Not that big of a difference." Patricia raised her hands in surrender.

"Huge difference. And I am living on the streets, I've given my house to a real estate agent. And if you bother Trudy with this, I'll kill you." Mara warned.

"She'll care, you know, Mara! She'll want to know."

"She can't know. She's got so much on her plate at the minute."

Patricia looked at Mara. "She has to know. Your parents have moved to that remote part of Antartica. You cannot be homeless."

"I can. I don't want shelter, Patricia. I just don't like living in anything. It's horrible." Mara told her.

Patricia sighed. "You're on a suicide mission."

Mara looked away. If it came to that, the guilt, the pain eating away at her, she'd be ready. But she didn't want to, not yet.


End file.
